Parliament has passed a motion seeking to establish a department of civil registration in each of the 290 constituencies. If the units are established, they will bring relief to many parents who are struggling to acquire the crucial documents that are required in their children’s school registration and application for national identification cards.

And in a bid to hasten the process of acquiring birth certificates, the National Assembly yesterday unanimously passed the motion sponsored by Gilgil MP Martha Wangari, who wants the office of civil registration devolved to every constituency. Moving the motion, Ms Wangari argued that acquiring the crucial document had become a nightmare for many parents as most had to travel long distances to get the service in poorly equipped offices. “More than three million children have yet to be registered and their parents are having nightmares chasing this crucial document. We need to address their plight by taking these services closer to them and ensuring the offices are well-equipped, including with personnel,” said Wangari.

This, Wangari said, would ensure full implementation of the Kenya Citizens and Foreign Nationals Management Service Act, 2011.

“…subsequent registration of citizens and acquisition of documentation such as identity cards and passports, school admissions, registration of exams and access to opportunities such as employment depends and relies on birth certificates,” notes the motion.

Wangari told the House that the department had over the years experienced huge backlogs in the issuance of birth certificates due to inadequate personnel, funding, and equipment. Inadequate personnel “Kenyans spend a lot of money to acquire these documents. I don’t know why some of the Government departments are reluctant to embrace digitisation of their operations,” she said.